In a voice-driven work environment, speech or voice is often utilized as a tool for directing a worker to perform a series of tasks. Such a voice-driven system often utilizes a central computer system that controls a multitude of work applications and their progress, and communicates with a plurality of mobile or portable terminals. The mobile terminals are worn or carried by workers, and are used by the workers or other users to receive voice direction from the central computer system, and to provide data and other input to the central computer system. The portable terminals take advantage of text-to-speech (TTS) capabilities to direct a worker, with speech, to perform a specific task, and utilize speech recognition to convert the answers and speech of the user to a digital form that may be utilized by the central computer system.
As may be appreciated, such voice-driven systems provided significant efficiency in the work environment. The bi-directional speech communication stream of information is exchanged over a wireless network between the mobile terminals and the central system to allow operator mobility. Typically, the worker (or operator) wears a mobile terminal, which includes a headset with a microphone and an ear speaker. Through the headset, the operator is able to receive voice instructions about a task, ask questions, report the progress of the task, and report various working conditions, for example.
One predominant use for such voice-driven systems is for tasks associated with inventory/order-based industries, such as product distribution. The central computer system runs a program for product tracking and management, and for order filling. The operators perform manual product picking and placement tasks, per instructions through the bi-directional speech applications of the mobile terminals. The terminals allow the operators to interface with the central system, so that they may take directions of where to go to get certain items in an order, respond to the directions, respond to inquiries, enter data, and confirm the completion of a task.
As may be appreciated, the operators within a voice-driven system must learn how to operate and work with the terminals, take voice or speech directions through the terminals, provide speech input to the terminal as a task is carried out and completed, and ultimately progress through the sequential tasks using speech. For example, filling a product order within a warehouse or other inventory environment might require the terminal operator to be told to go to various different locations within the warehouse (for example, an aisle, a slot within the aisle, a bin within the slot, etc.), and pick a product from that location. This is done sequentially, product by product, until an order is filled. The worker progresses, using speech, through various different locations to complete the order. The central system directs the operator's progress, and in fact, simultaneously directs the progress of multiple operators, and receives data through speech. The terminal, using speech recognition, converts the operator's inputs to a usable data form for the central system.
In order to become familiar with working in such a voice-driven environment, usually an operator must be trained in how to use the system, and how to interface with the mobile terminal that the operator wears, or carries around, with them through the day. Such training often requires the operator to progress through a sample task, under the supervision of a supervisor. The supervisor listens in on the operator's terminal, as the operator progresses through a task. For example, referring to FIG. 1, a typical system 10 for training might involve an operator with an operator terminal 12 and a headset 14. The operator terminal 12 is used to give speech instructions to the operator, who then answers back with speech to the terminal, and ultimately, to the central system, as the task progresses. The operator terminal 12 incorporates a radio link, or other wireless link to report to a supervisor through a supervisor terminal 16. The supervisor terminal also incorporates a headset 18, so that the supervisor may listen in on the progress of the various tasks handled by the operator. To that end, the operator terminal might incorporate a radio link, such as an FM transmitter 20, while the supervisor terminal 16 incorporates an FM receiver 22. With the supervisor listening in on the operator's terminal and the progression of the spoken tasks, the supervisor can then determine if the operator is utilizing the terminal properly, and can determine where, in the task progress, the operator makes a mistake or becomes confused. In that way, the supervisor may then intervene, and correct the operator, or otherwise help them along in the proper execution of the task.
While such a system, as shown in FIG. 1, provides one means of adequately overseeing a worker or operator in a voice-driven system, it suffers from some significant drawbacks. Particularly, because the supervisor is listening directly to the real-time bi-directional voice dialogue of the operator, the supervisor must understand the operator's language. The speech recognition and text-to-speech capabilities of an operator's terminal are geared to the native language of the operator. In various voice-directed systems, such as large warehousing and inventory facilities, the situation often arises wherein the supervisor is overseeing one or more workers, who speak a different primary or native language from the supervisor. For example, in a European application, a facility that has predominantly Czech operators might be overseen or supervised by a German-speaking supervisor. As such, the supervisor must listen to the operator terminals in a language that is different from the supervisor's native tongue. In North American applications, an English-speaking supervisor might be overseeing a facility that employs a large number of Spanish-speaking workers. As such, the supervisors, or trainers, are often struggling with listening in to the operator's progress in a language that the supervisor is not fluent in.
To address such a drawback, it may be desirable to provide a translation of the bi-directional voice dialogue on the operator's terminal. However, such translation not only slows down the progress of the training, but also increases the cost and complexity of the supervisor's and operator's terminals. Accordingly, a need still exists in the art today to address training within a voice-driven system, wherein a supervisor oversees the task progress of one or more operators. There is particularly a need for use in a voice-driven system, where the supervisor and operators may speak different native languages. Accordingly, the present invention addresses the needs in the art, and provides various benefits over the prior art, as discussed further herein below.